PSL Forum: 70 Years of Injustice: The case of the Filipino American Veterans

PSL Forum & Discussion
70 Years of Injustice: The case of the Filipino American Veterans

On July 26, 1941, the U.S. commissioned 480,000 Filipino soldiers under the U.S. Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE) under the command of General Douglas Macarthur to fight the Japanese Imperial Army. The so-called “Commonwealth of the Philippines” was in reality a colony of the U.S. The Filipino soldiers were promised that after the war, they would be recognized as American veterans and hence accorded the same benefits. But the U.S. reneged on its promise. Out of the 66 nationalities who fought for the U.S. in World War II, Filipinos were singled out not to be recognized as U.S. veterans and therefore were denied veterans’ benefits. By 2015, most of the surviving veterans will be gone without ever seeing any justice.

Guest Speaker Ago Pedalizo is Coordinator of the Justice for Filipino American Veterans campaign.

Plus: Update on trial of Mehserle in murder of Oscar Grant